The clinical laboratory is experiencing a revolution in reducing the cost and time required for molecular diagnostics. This development is increasingly important for implementing aspects of the Human Genome Project. A lack of procedures for quickly, accurately and inexpensively detecting presence of specific molecular signatures has become a bottleneck limiting use of relevant genetic information. Presently, molecular diagnostics is highly labor-intensive, with little automation or integration. Miniaturization technologies that integrate engineering capabilities and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) with molecular biology expertise would allow molecular signature tests to be performed in microchips.
What is needed is an approach for quickly and accurately detecting presence of specific biological molecules (“biomolecules”) that are of concern in molecular biology and related chemistry disciplines. Preferably, the procedure should allow detection of a specific molecule and/or of a class of related molecules, should be flexible, and should permit automation and integration of the procedure with other related biological and chemical procedures.